The invention relates to an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object by successive solidification of layers of a material. The invention further relates to a corresponding production method.
German Patent 43 00 478 discloses a method known as selective laser sintering for producing a three-dimensional object by successive solidification of layers of a powder material at points corresponding to a cross-section of the object using electromagnetic radiation and a corresponding apparatus for carrying out this method. In this known apparatus the object to be formed is constructed on a metallic platform which is part of the apparatus. However, the process of sintering or solidifying the layers of the object can not start with the first powder layer applied to the platform, because the solidified regions of this layer are not laterally supported and will therefore be displaced on the metallic platform when applying the following powder layer by means of a wiper used for applying the powder. Thus, usually at least one or better several powder layers are completely solidified using the laser beam to form a basis for the object. However, this complete solidification of the first layer applied to the metallic platform requires a long additional processing time which considerably increases the total production time of the object.